Control device for dispensing nozzles



Jan. 20, 1959 D. E. HAwKlNs ETAL 2,859,758

CONTROL DEVICE Fox msPENsING NozzLEs Filed Feb. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1L Jan. 20, 1959 D. E. HAwKlNs ETAL CONTROL DEVICE FOR DISPENSING NozzLEs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1957 INVENTORS. Dozza/Q Haz/mu re aw )25 .a1/Dem www CONTROL DEVICE FOR DISPENSING NOZZLES Donald E. Hawkins, Concord, Ronald S. Hawkins, Turlock, and Fred R. Hawkins, Waterford, Calif.

Application February 8, 1957, Serial No. 639,158 s claims. i `(Creu- 29) This invention relates to, and it is amajor object to provide, a novel device 'to controlraliquid dispensing nozzle such` as used `for retail' gasoline delivery at a service station; i. e., a device which is operative to hold a normally hand-operated nozzle open for a certain period of time, and to `then cause the nozzle to shut on? or close.

When the motor driven pump which feeds the liquid to the nozzle is of constant delivery type (as is a gasoline pump) the gallons per minute` of delivery are known, or easily ascertained, and therefore-by simple calculationthe present device`can be readilyset to hold the nozzle l open for the time required to dispense approximately a desired quantity of the liquid.

An additionalobject f the invention is to provide a4 control device, of the type described, which is especially designed-but not limited-for use in connection with `a gasoline dispensing nozzle to which liquid is fed from a conventional constant-delivery, gallonage metering, and

price calculating, type of pump. In particular, the purpose of the instant device is primarily as anoperators aid inthat it permitsthe nozzle-j-afterengagement in the gasoline tank throat of a motor vehicle-4to be latched open, and to thereafter automatically release the nozzle so that it closes afterapproximately the requested gallonage, but with some under-feed, has been dispensed. Thus, while the nozzle is held open the `operator isl free to attend to other service requirements on the vehicle, and after the nozzle' automatically closes, such operator merely completes the sale by hand-feeding the remainder of the order, while watching the precision meter of the pump.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a control device, for dispensing nozzles, which is designed for ease and economy of`manufacture andinstallation, and convenience of use.

Still another object fof the invention is toy provide a practical and reliable control device for dispensing nozzles, and one which will be exceedingly etective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by.` means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims. l

ln the drawings: e j

Fig. l is a side elevation of`a gasoline dispensing nozzle fitted with the device of the present invention; the device being in its released position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken through the nozzle and showing the device from the rear;` such device being `in an operative position `and just before occurrence of the automatic release of the nozzle hand lever.

Fig. 3 isa similar viewfbut with the device mainly in section.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, Vin section', taken on line 4-4 ofFigZ. V t t Referring `now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the invention is here shown as mounted in connection with nited States Patent 0 A 2,3%,758 Patented Jan. 20, 1959 a4 gasoline dispensing nozzle, indicated generally at 1, which `includes a tubular bodyZ connected at the front with a delivery spout 3; such tubular body 2 being4 connected at the rear tothe hose 4 which leads from a constant-delivery type gasoline pump (not shown).

A hand lever`5 is disposed beneath the body 2, and said lever is pivoted at the forward end, as at 6, to the lower end of a link l which extends from the automatic full tank shutol mechanism enclosed within the housing, as at 8.

Intermediate its ends the hand lever 5 is adapted to work the upwardly movable plunger 9 of the nozzle control valve, -which is enclosed within an intermediate portion of the body 2 and ncthere shown. j i

For the purpose of this invention itsuces to state thatwhen the hand lever 5 is raised, the plunger 9 is pushed upwardly, which opens the nozzle 1;` the latter closing automatically whegsaid lever 5 is hand-released. Also, even though the handleverf maybe ina `raised nozzle openingl position, thefplunger 9 is permitted Ato lower when the full tank shut-off mechanism of the nozzle functions, and at which time `the link lTshifts downwardly a distancesuicient for the plunger 9 to lower to a nozzle closing position. f i,

The hand lever 5 is encompassed by a dependent, somewhat U-shaped guard l0 attached at its `upper end portion to a boss 11 formed with the body 2.

The foregoing is generally' conventional, and to such a nozzle-oran equivalenttype-l-we attach our `invention, and which is generally comprised Aof atreleasable latch mechanism, indicated generally at`12.I Such releasable latch mechanism 1`2-whichis controlledrbya timer-jserves the purpose ofholding the hand lever 5 in a nozzle opening position, while an approximatebutwith some under-feedgallonag`e`lis fed by the nozzle `through the delivery spout u ,l .L j

`More `specifically, saidreleasable latch mechanism 162, which is sli-Own `irieits *released or out-of-operation posi,- tion in Fig. l, comprises-fasA reflected `in `detail lin the remaining views of thedrawings--the following:

A fixed -or non-rotary` transverse` spindle i3 extendsV of the handlever `guard;10, and outwardly thereof providing the primary` journal `for the upper.euds` of transversely spaced parallel swingarms.14 which--when the mechanism 12 is in released position-extend at-a down: ward andrearwardinline. k p Y i' j Beginning intermediate their ends thefsv/ing arms Li converge in a rearward and downward direction to integral connection with a rigid link 1S ,which includesdependent ears ll6.` l, N r

A relatively short lever 17 is pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 18, between the ears 416, projecting in opposite directions therefrom. The link 15, at itsupperfend, isy formed-on the` back side-with `ears'flll; `a `two-part toggle linkage 20`beingv connected `between the ears i9 and the corresponding end of the `lever 17 'by `means o pivots, indicatedat 21 and 22.` The toggle linkage Zit includes, at its center pivot, atorque spring 23 which tends to hold said linkage 20 straightened out, and at which time the' linkage is parallel to the rigid linkli.V The link of the toggle linkage 2.0 which `corresponds to the ears 19 is outer-end slotted, as at24, and Such` slot receives-on the pivot `21 an ear25 which `is integral with `a dog` leg; or `inverted L-shaped` control lever 26 which extends upwardly at a `lateral incline or diagonal (see Fig. 2).` v j M At its free end the control lever 26 is netted with aA roller 27 which rides on a rotary cam `flvlforrned by the periphery of` a hub 2,9 included in a` wind--upor` aseegree 3 spring-clock type timer unit, indicated generally at 30, which unit is disposed to one side of the boss 11 coaxially of the transverse spindle 13.

The hub 29, which rota in response to a setting of the timer 'unit 30, as wil li'ereinafter appear, finds its primary journal on thea: jacent projecting end portion of said spindle 13. i

The general construction and operation of the timer unit 34B will hereinafter appear.

The edge conguration of the ear at the point of engagement with ythe adjacent link of the toggle linkage '2li is such that when the control lever 26 is in substantially straight-line or parallel relation to the toggle linkage Ztl, it prevents such linkage from buckling from the full line to the dotted line position shownin Fig. 4. However, upon control lever 26 swinging forwardly to its Vdotted line position in Fig. 4, and which occurs during operation of the device, as will hereinafter appear, the linkage 20 is caused to buckle outwardly or rearwardly to its dotted line position in said figure. The co-ntrol lever 26 is urged by a tension springi31 in a direction such that the roller 27 maintains contact with the rotary cam 28.

The lever 17, at the end portion opposite the pivot 22, has a headed bolt 32 threaded therethrough; the bolt head being indicated at 33, and which head is uppermost when said lever 17 is substantially horizontal. With the lever 17 in said substantially horizontal position, the bolt head 33 is disposed so that it will engage beneath the rear end of the hand lever 5 ,when the latter is pulled upwardly to a nozzle opening position, and as shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

The timer unit includes, with-and projecting out- Wardly from-the hub 29, an enlarged rotary winding case 34 whose outer portion is peripherally knurled,as

at 35, for the purpose of non-slipping finger engagement.

AXially inwardly of the knurled portion 35 the case 34 is itted-eXternally-with the side by side scale bands or rings, indicated at 36 and 37, and which rings are rotatably adjustably secured to said case. The ring 36 is scaled, as at 38, in terms of gallonage, and a pointer 39 Xed relative to the spindler13 spans both rings and reads on said scale 38 as well as on a scale 40 on ring 37; the scale 40 being in terms of price per gallon. Another pointer 41--parallel to pointer 39 likewise spans and reads on both scales; the pointer 41 being iixed to a snap ring 42 which is frictionally but turnably engaged ina channel 43 in case 34 outwardly of ring 37.

At the end of the spindle 13 which projects through the hub 29 and into the rotary winding case 34, said spindle includes an enlarged radial end plate 44 to which issecured a stationary back plate 45 of a wind-up or spring-clock type mechanism, indicated only in part at 46. The arrangement is such that with manual winding in one direction of the rotary case 34 to a certain extent, but less than 360 degrees, said mechanism 46 will then slowly return or rotate the case 34 in the opposite direction.

A torque spring 47 about the spindle 13 at the end opposite the timer unit 30 cooperates with the adjacent swing arm 14 in a manner to normally urge both of said arms to a rearwardly swung and downwardly inclined position with the releasable latch mechanism 12 in an out-of-the way position, as shown in Fig. 1. The swing arm 14 opposite the one which is engaged by the torque spring 47 is fixed at its inner end with a sleeve 48 which surrounds the spindle 13 and occupies a position between the latter and the hub 29.

At its outer or free end, and within the rotary case 34, the `sleeve 48 is formed with a radial linger 49 which normally lies in the path `of rotation of a crank 50 on the end of a rotary shaft 51 included in the timing mechanism 46; such mechanism being permitted to operate only when the shaft 51 can freely rotate. Hence, when the swing arms 14 are in their rearwardly swung position .bri-

with the releasable latch mechanism 12 out of play, as

in Fig. l, the nger 49 prevents the crank 50 and the `f )f ator-after receiving the order from the customer-manually turns the rotary case 34 clockwise until the pointer 39 reads on scale 38 at the desired gallonage, or on scale 40 at the desired price; the pointer 41 then preferably being engaged in side by side relation with said pointer 39 and reading substantially on the same gallonage or price setting. With such turning of case 34, and setting of the pointers, the timer unit 30r does not immediately begin to run, asy the crank 50 remains in engagement with the radial finger 49.

Thereafter, with the delivery spout 3 disposed in the neck of the vehicles gasoline tank, the operator raises the hand lever 5 and immediately swings the releasable latch mechanism 12 downwardly to a substantially perpendicular position. With straightening out of the toggle linkage 20, the lever 17 assumes a substantially horizontal position and the bolt head 33 engages under the rear end of the raised hand lever 5. At the same time the control lever 26-hbeing disposed in substantially straight-line relation to the toggle linkage 20, as in Fig. 4holds the entire latch mechanism 12 in its operative position; this for the reason that the roller27 is riding on the rotary cam 28.

With the latch mechanism 12 thus set in its operative position the hand lever 5 is held raised, with the nozzle 1 open and delivering through the spout 3.

When the latch mechanism 12 is swung to its substantially perpendicular operative position, as above described,

the radial finger 49 clears the crank 50 `so that the timer unit 30 begins to function, and which includes rotation of the case 34 in a counter-clockwise direction.

After the case 34 has` rotated, under the influence of the timing mechanism 46 to the extent predetermined by the setting of pointer 39 on scale 38 or scale 40 (the pointer 41 having remained at the original gallonage or price setting as a memory marker for the operator), the roller 27 of control lever 26 falls into a notch 52 formed in the periphery of said cam 28. When this occurs, the control lever 26 swings forwardly from its full-line to its dotted-line position, and the toggle linkage 20 is caused to buckle rearwardly from its full-line to its dotted-line position, all as shown in Fig. 4. Upon suchoccurrence the lever 17 is tilted so that its forward end drops down (also shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4), and this permits the entire latch mechanism 12 to snap rearwardly to its clearance or out-of-the-way position, as shown in Fig. l; the hand lever 5 then having been returned to its fully lowered nozzle closing position.

After the latch mechanism 12 thus releases, the operator manually grasps the nozzle and uses the hand lever 5 to open the nozzle so as to feed any remaining gallonage to precisely complete the order,`and which the operator accomplishes by visually observing the precision meter of thepump. n

The device of the present invention can be readily adjusted so that it properly controls the nozzle 1 for delivery, with slight under-feed, from the nozzle 1; this bemg accomplished merely by adjustment of the bolt 32, which in turn varies the position of lever 5 and alters the iiow through the nozzle 1 when the latch mechanism 12 1s 1n use. Y

With the instant control device attached to a gasoline dispensing vnozzle 1, such device-when in usepermits the operator to fuel and service a motor vehicle more eiiiciently and in less time than usual, and additionally makes more practical fuel dispensing nozzles, particularly those of automatic, full tank shut-oit type.

With respect to this type of nozzle, it is to be noted that if the fuel tank becomes full before the timer unit 30 releases the latch mechanism 12, the link 7 of the full tank shut-off mechanism shifts downwardly so that the plunger 9 lowers and closes the nozzle; the latch mechanism 12 then also automatically releasing and swinging to its out-of-the-way position.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein. 4

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

l. In combination, on a dispensing nozzle including a body supporting a hand lever for movement between nozzle closing and opening position, a releasable mechanism operative to hold the hand lever in nozzle opening position, a hand-set timer mounted in connection with the body, the timer including a movable part, and means responsive to movement of such part arranged to cause release of said mechanism to permit return of the hand iever to nozzle closing position; the timer being of springclock type and including a rotary case manually wound in one direction to pre-set said timer and self-unwinding in the opposite direction, said movable part being a rotary cam in connection with the case.

2. In combination, on a dispensing nozzle includingV a body supporting a hand lever for movement between nozzle closing and opening position, a releasable mechanism operative to hold the hand lever in nozzle opening position, a hand-set timer mounted in connection with the body, the timer including a movable part, and means responsive to movement of such part arranged to cause release of said mechanism to permit return of the hand lever to nozzle closing position; the timer being of spring-clock type and including a rotary case manually wound in one direction to pre-set said timer and sclf-unwinding in the opposite direction, a peripheral scale on the case, and a pointer fixed relative to the body readable on said scale.

3. A combination, as in claim 2, including another peripheral scale on the case, and a separate pointer mounted on the case and readable on said other scale; said separate pointer being adjustable about the case cir cumferentially thereof.

4. In combination, on a dispensing nozzle including a body-supporting a hand lever for movement between nozzle closing and opening positions, the hand lever being below and extending lengthwise of the body, the hand lever having a rear end which is moved toward the body when said lever is in nozzle opening position, a transverse spindle mounted in connection with and projecting lat- 6 erally of the body generally above said end of the hand lever, a swing arm assembly pivoted on the spindle for swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical plane below the body, yieldable means tending to swing the arrn assembly rearwardly and upwardly to an initial position clear of the lever, a latch mechanism mounted on the free end portion of the arm assembly, said latch assembly being adapted to engage beneath said rear end and releasably hold the hand lever in nozzle opening position when the arm assembly is swung forwardly and downwardly from said initial position, and a time-responsive control device associated with and arranged to cause the latch mechanism to release from said end of the hand lever to permit the latter to return to nozzle closing position and the arm assembly to swing back to said initial position.

5. A combination, as in claim 4, in which said mechanism includes a toggle linkage adapted to be broken in a given direction to cause such release, the control device including a rotary cam, and a linkage breaking lever extending therefrom and riding the cam.

6. A combination, as in claim 4, in which the latch mechanism includes a rigid link which upstands adjacent said end of the lever when the arm assembly is swung forwardly and downwardly from said initial position, a longitudinal lever transversely pivoted intermediate its ends on the lower portion of the fixed link, a head projecting from said longitudinal lever adjacent its forward end and adapted to engage under said end of the hand lever, an ear projecting rearwardly from the rigid link above the rear end of the longitudinal lever, and a toggle linkage pivotally connected between said rear end of the longitudinal lever and said ear, said linkage being held straight and parallel to the rigid link when such seat is engaged under said end of the lever; the time-responsive control device including a rotary cam turnable about the spindle as an axis, and a toggle linkage breaking lever extending therefrom and riding the cam, the toggle linkage when broken causing the longitudinal lever to raise at the rear and lower at the front so that the hand lever is returned to nozzle closing position and the arm assembly is released to swing back to said initial position.

7. A device, as in claim 6, in which said head is mounted on the longitudinal lever for adjustment toward and from the same in the direction of the hand lever.

8. In combination on a dispensing nozzle which includes a body supporting a hand lever for movement between nozzle closing and opening positions, a releasable latch mechanism operative to hold the hand lever in nozzle opening position, and a time-responsive control device associated with and arranged to cause release of said mechanism to permit return of the hand lever to nozzle closing position; a transverse spindle mounted in and projecting at both ends from the body, means mounting the latch mechanism on a projecting portion of the spindle, and means separately supporting the control device from one end of the spindle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,358,857 Kraut Nov. 16, 1920 2,080,535 Devers May 18, 1937 2,656,068 Soar Oct. 20, 1953 H FOREIGN PATENTS 104,114 Australia ...g-z May 27, 1938 529,235 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1940 

